A beautiful shiny gold medal, Sir Paul McCartney leading a singsong as we
stood on the podium and stamps being printed in our honour.

Nobody told me winning an Olympic gold medal could be quite this wonderful and although I am racing again on Monday morning I took a little time out Sunday lunchtime with my brilliant family to enjoy the moment.

But first I had to correct a little mistake by Royal Mail which is painting a post box gold in the home town or village of every British athlete who comes finished first which is a great idea, I love it. But because I was born in Harlow that’s where they were going to do it and I’m not an Essex girl.

No, I’m a Cheshunt girl and very proud of it so I tweeted them and to start with there was no success.

Then we had a major breakthrough, Chris Hoy noticed my request and retweeted it and suddenly the it all got sorted out very quickly.

The power of Sir Chris! I mustn’t complain because Royal Mail has been lovely - how cool is it having your own stamp at the age of 20? - but I am very proud of Cheshunt and apparently the golden box will now be at the bottom of my Nan’s lane. Result.

Apart from meeting up with the family it was very low key and deliberately so. Pretty much the moment we stepped off that podium I started to think of Monday's omnium competition. I did absolutely the minimum of media and interviews because I’m up for this and want to give it my very best shot.

The team pursuit with the girls was absolutely my priority but now we have won that I don’t want to let the opportunity of going for two Olympic golds pass me by.

Yes it was difficult for a few minutes waving the girls good bye as they headed out for the evening but I’ve always known that could be the case and was prepared.

I went back to the room I share with Dani in the village and just flopped and watched Mo Farah win the 10,000 metres with his incredible run.

After that I tried to sleep but I was still buzzing and it was difficult so I just rested until I did eventually drop off. I feel good though, very strong still and with good legs.

I went on the rollers early morning and after meeting up with the family did a turbo session in the afternoon and had a massage.

I’ve had some nice quiet time to reflect and the first thing to say is a big thank you and congratulations to my team-mates Joanna Rowsell, Dani and Wendy Houvenaghel.

We have worked so hard and so long for that moment that when it finally came I know I could hardly take it in. A big thank you also to the other girls who fought hard to win places in the team pursuit squad over the last few years and drove all of us on with their efforts.

Some people have been saying how easy we made it all look, what with breaking the world record in out last six competitive rides but any sportsman will know that is never the case. There is a lot of blood sweat and tears on the way.

We even had a bit of tense moment on Saturday when Joanna Rowsell woke up feeling ill which wasn’t a good start.

To a certain extent we are all interchangeable but Joanna is a massive rider for us, she has been a constant in the TP team since I can remember and now was not a good time to lose her.

Eventually it was decided that she would start and we shift the workload a little bit so that I did three one and half laps turns and a three quarter lap turn which means i rode nearly half the race at the front - taking one for the team so to speak.

I was pretty nervous to be honest but it all worked out nicely, another world record came our way and Joanna felt much better by the end of the race.

She thinks it was nerves rather than food poisoning but it was one of those moments that can just crop up from nowhere.

Come the final itself we were still flying. We knew we were in great form coming into the Olympics but I can’t hand on heart say I thought we would beat the world record more than once.

We are not going out there deliberately targeting the world record but that is the level we are currently at and when you take that form into a world championships and Olympics, in front of a home crowd, I suppose its going to all come out. If not then when?

Meanwhile today and tomorrow its ’full gas’ for the omnium. It will be very tough because the field is packed with great riders but I enjoy the event and have always ridden it and it does mean I get another six rides in front of our amazing supporters at the velodrome.

And when it ends on Tuesday night - win or lose - I will finally get to celebrate with the girls.